Boat propeller



1,491,233 B. G. HARLEY BOAT PROPELLER Filed March 3l. 1923 EER''RQN Gf.H.llRLY, Gli NORTH TONAVJANDA, NEW YORK.

BOAT FPROPELLER.

Application filed March 31, 1923.

To all whom it may conce/m:

Be it known that Beernem Gr. HARLEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of North Tonawanda, in the State of New York, inthe United States of AAmerica, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Boat Propeller, described in the following specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, that forin part of thesame.

'.he principal objects of the invention are to improve the constructionof the support for the propeller shaft of boats of thedisappearingpropeller77 type so that the propeller shaft will be rigidlysupported againstvibration in all positions, and to provide a simple andefiicient operating gear.

rlhe principal features of the invention consist in supporting bearingfor the propeller shaft upon pivotal link carried by a lever pivotallymounted in the propeller shaft housing.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through thepropeller shaft housing showing the propeller and its supporting membersin elevation and in the raised position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure i showing the propeller lowered.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view through the structure takenon the line 3-43 of Figure 1.

Figure l is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 1&4 ofFigure 1.

The disappearing propeller type of boat in which the propeller shaft isprovided with a universal joint and the flexible end of the shaft igraised and lowered from a housing in the bottom of the boat is wellknown but the means for supporting the shaft at the propeller end, inboats at present in use, do not edectively support the shaft againstvibration.

ln the construction herein shown," the housing 1, open at the-bottom, isof rectangular cross section at the forward end and between the sidewalls 2 is arranged a lever 3 supported on a pin flextendingtransversely of the casing. The ends of the pin l are journalled intrunnions 5 and 6 formed in the walls 2, the trunnion 5 being closed andthe trunnion 6 is provided with a threaded cap 7 to allow the pin to beplaced in position.

'lhe lever 3 is preferably of an ld section and ext/ends longitudinallyof the housing serial ne. seance.

which at suitable points in its length may be provided with parallelrubbing strips 8, though the trunnion support is of ample dimensions tobe very rigid.

A shackle link 9 preferably of U shape in longitudinal section straddlesthe free end of the lever 3 and a pin 10 passing through the link andlever pivotally connects them together. rllhe arms of the link 9 arepreferably offset outwardly to straddle a bearing sleeve 11 in which thepropeller shaft 12 is journalled. .This sleeve is formed with adownwardly extending web 13 which is shaped to forin a skeg extendingbelow and protecting the propeller 14. rlhe web 13 is formed with bosses15 and a pin 16 eX- tending through the bosses 15 and the ends of thelink 9 form a rigid pivot connection.

he pin 16 is preferably rigidly secured inthe link arms by being swagedat the ends as also is the pin 10, thus obtaining the' maximum pivotbearing surface.

It will be readily seen that a construction such as described willprovide a very rigid support for the propeller shaft in any position.`

'lhe lever 3 is rigidly secured to the pin l by the operating handle 17which is threaded into the boss 18 on said lever and enters a centeredhole 19 in the pin.

rlhe housing 1 is provided with a slot 2O through which the handle 17projects and a slotted cap 21 is provided with an are shaped topconcentric with the pin 4. The outer surface of the cap is machined to atrue surface and an arc-shaped plate 22 slidably arranged on the handleengages the outer face.

A suitable grease cup 23 is arranged on the plate 22 to provide a greasepacking to prevent the leakage of water into the boat. Above the plate22 is arranged a packing cap 2d which is shown held against the plate bya compression spring 25 surrounding the handle. The pressure of thespring may be regulated by the nut 26 to hold the plate 22 tightly toits seat.

rllhe preferred means for packing the handle, is here shown but othermeans may be devised to accomplish the desired result of preventingleakage of water into the boat at this point.

ln the operation of this device, the oscillation of the handle 17 swingsthe lever 3 down or up and the shackle link, swinging freely depressesor raises the shaft bearing which remains always in the same positionCIJ on the shaft, that is, abutting the propeller hub, it being held inplace by a suitable collar 27 on the shaft.

What l claim as my invention is:

l. In a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housingand propeller shaft, of a lever pivoted in said housing, a bearing forthe propeller sha-ft held in fixed relation to the propeller, and adouble link straddling said bearing and pivotally connected thereto andto the end of said lever and slid'ably engaging said bearing.

2. ln a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housingand propeller shaft, of a lever pivoted in said housing, a bearing forthe propeller shaft held in fixed relation to .the propeller and havinga transverse journal below the shaft journal, a double link pivoted onsaid lever embracing said shaft bearing, and a pivot pin secured in thelinks and extending through the transverse bearing of said journal.

3. ln a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housingand propeller shaft, of a pin arranged transversely of said casing,trunnions in said casing supporting said pin, a cranked lever carried onsaid pin having one end projecting from the housing, a link pivoted onthe free end of the lever within the housing, and a propeller shaftbearing pivoted on said link.

l. In a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housinghaving a slot in the top, and a propeller shaft, of a lever pivoted inthe housing, a bearing for the propeller shaft carried by said lever, ahandle secured to said lever and 'projecting through the slot in thehousing, and slidable means arranged on said handle for closing the slotin the casing.

5. ln a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housinghaving a slot in the top, and a propeller shaft, of a lever pivoted inthe housing, a bearing for the propeller shaft carried by said lever',and a handle secured to said lever and projecting through the slot inthe housing.

6. In a boat, a housing for the propeller having a narrow portion tohouse the propeller shaft and an enlarged portion to house thepropeller, the narrow portion having parallel rubbing strips extendingfrom the top downwardly, a. lever pivotally mounted in the forward endof the narrow housing and slidably engaging said rubbing strips, apropeller shaft, a bearing mounted on the propeller end of the shaft,links connecting the free end of said lever with said bearing, and ahandle rigid with said lever extending upwardly through said housing.

7. In a boat propeller, the combina-tion with a propeller shaft housingand propeller shaft, of a lever pivoted in said housing, a bearing forthe propeller shaft held in fixed relation to the propeller and having arigid skeg formed integral therewith and extending downwardly andrearwardly therefrom, and a link connection between said lever and saidbearing.

8. ln a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housinghaving a slot in the top, and a propeller shaft, of a lever vpivoted inthe housing, a bearing for the propeller shaft carried by said lever, ahandle secured to said lever and projecting through the slot in thehousing, a slotted arc-shaped cap secured to the casing, an arc-shapedplate encircling said handle and sliding on said cap, and spring meansfor holding said plate in contact with said cap.

9. ln a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housinghaving a slot in the top, and a propeller shaft, of 'a lever pivoted inthe housing, a bearing for the propeller shaft carried by said lever, ahandle secured to said lever and projecting through the slot in thehousing, a slotted arc-shaped cap secured to the casing, an arc-shapedplate encircling said handle and sliding on said cap, spring means forholding said plate in contact with said cap, and means for greasepacking the contact faces of said cap and plate.

10. In a boat propeller, the combination with a propeller shaft housinghaving a slot in the top, and a propeller shaft, of a lever pivoted inthe housing, a bearing for the propeller shaft carried by said lever, ahandle secured to said lever and projecting through the slot in thehousing, a slotted arc-shaped cap secured to the casing, an arcshapedplate encircling said handle and sliding on said cap, a packing capengaging said plate slidably arranged on said handle, a springencircling the` handle above said packing cap, and a nut threaded on thehandle above said spring.

BERTRON G. HARLEY.

